Same As It Never Was:Shaman King Style!
by whatkindofTMNTru
Summary: Dedicated to Fhongnum.During a fight, Horo Horo mysteriously disappears.When he comes out, he's in a new world.But why is it so recognisable?    P.S:If you've watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' episode, you'll understand more of the story.


"Horo Horo please open the door!" Yoh begged. "NO!Please Yoh!Go away!Please!" he was like this for the past three days!Horo Horo had been keeping himself in his room and wasn't talking to _anyone_.Not even to his little sister Pirica.

This was getting really Anna's death threads couldn't get him out of his fact, he'd said he had already wanted it! "Anything?" Ren asked him when he finally gave up and went back to the living room. "No." Yoh shook his head with sorrow. "He really is out of it.I don't know how to help him!" Yoh cried out.

"He's very different since that fight that took him away for a what happened back then, " Chocolove said was really Horo wasn't even eating anything anymore!Just some little water sips that was all.

While they were talking this, meanwhile Horo Horo was lying face down in his was could he face them again?After what he's done?He sobbed quietly.

_Flashback_

"Horo Horo!Look out!" Yoh yelled in worry.

They were in yet another fight with Hao and his , X-Laws were helping had seen a sword was going to slice Horo Horo in the gut from his back!

Horo Horo didn't hear him was just too far away from Yoh to hear when the sword was right behind him, it stopped!When Horo dared to turn around, he saw Ren was making sure of swordsman would never, ever try to do something like that again to any of his friends.

"Watch your back Horo Horo!" he yelled, the annoyed tone, Horo Horo could tell the secret relief behind his smiled secretly to himself._"That softie..." _he what he was unaware of was, Hao was smiling evilly towards held his hand up and most of the fight stopped.

"You know the plan, " he said with a serene tone.

Yoh and Iron Maiden Jeanne was a really unsettling feeling with the aforementioned "plan".And there was a very bad feeling in Amidamaru's gut.

That was then, all the henchmen of Hao, stepped there was another one who had not stepped back with the was a young girl with dull green hair and grey her hands, there was something looked like a staff but they all knew that, it wasn't just a was blue and on top of it, there was something glowing with blue light.

"What the hell is that!What are you up to, Hao!" yelled Ren in was was happening?

That was then, the girl with the weird staff turned to her master in question._"Am I gonna do it now?"_ Hao also nodded and turned back to the group of shamans before , she shot her arm into the arm that was holding the staff and started to yell.

_"I A__M CALLING YOU, THE SPIRITS OF THE FUTURE AND THE PAST AND THE PRESENT!COME HERE AND BE WITH ME!BRING THE CHOSEN ONE TO THE FUTURE!DO NOT LET HIM GET BACK!LET HIM UNDERSTAND THE CHARM OF THE FIRE!"_

While she was chanting these words, the staff's glow grew more and more when she finished, she directed the glowing staff to maybe the most unexpected person among them:Horo Horo!The glow grew even bigger and with a blink and a flash of blue light, Horo was gone.

"NO!"

"HORO HORO!"

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM!"

Girl didn't answer and went to stand by his master's Hao's other henchmen went too and with a flame, they all were fight was with a big problem:Horo Horo was only thing that was left of him was his Kororo.

"W-what do we do now?" asked Chocolove with a little wave in his voice due to worry about his friend.

"I don't know we'll find a way.." said Yoh seriously and with worry.

"We won't help though!Our truce is over now Yoh Asakura!" said Marco frowning.

"But please keep me updated about it guys!I've gotta know how's he!" exclaimed was worried too.

"We-" started Ren but Yoh cut him off.

"Of course we will, 't worry 'bout it."

Horo Horo didn't know how much time had passed since that glowing light took hadn't even gotten out of it he did know that, he wasn't with his friends anymore.

He didn't notice he was going out of it and when he got out, the gravity overtook him and he fell with a yelp and groaned in had hurt but he wasn't that much of injured sat up and looked around and gasped in shock.

It was very dark and picked himself up and looked around was fire in everywhere!And where were the people?He started to walk around a was sure, he was still in was when, he suddenly was shot with a blast of furyoku.

But fortunately, it hadn't hit looked around to see one of the henchmen of Hao –it was Peyote- and unfortunately, he hadn't had Kororo with was almost started to run but a voice stopped him.

"NO!Let him go!"

He barely had time to dodge the familiar looking weapon and saw that Peyote was dead on his he looked to his savior and gasped in horror and shock.

"C-Ch-Choco-love?"

"Horo Horo?"

Both guys looked to the other one in a long was older now and what really had shocked and scared Horo Horo was the fact that, Chocolove's eyes were dull and his right arm was gone now!

"W-what-"

"Where were you Horo Horo?" he said in a tone that made Horo Horo feel like a stranger to was just not right at all.

"Wh-what do ya mean with th-this Chocolove?Wh-what happened here?" he was a _little_ bit of scared.

"I'll tell you Horo .Let's walk for a while." Chocolove could only nod due to his shock and started to walk.

"So..Wh-what happened?"

Chocolove inhaled a deep breathe and let out slowly."When that girl sent you somewhere, we all tried to find none of us made it up to didn't even know where you the team...The team just didn't work out good one day..."

_Flashback Chocolove__ POV_

_"Guys!We have to do it NOW!" yelled Yoh._

_It had been 2 years since Horo Horo disappeared from the it was the anniversary of that fateful day.*Sigh* Ren was never the never smiled._

_Never __like he was smiling to Horo Horo's stupid actions.I guess I wasn't the same joke loving Chocolove are you Horo?_

_His sister Pirika died after one year of was killed by that cra__zy girl with Ren managed to kill her for now, we were in yet another fight with that hateful is ironic because of the event and now, Yoh wasn't doing he looked like, he could die on his feet._

_He was holding Hao__ in a hold that he couldn't get away and if we were to attack to Hao, it meant we had to attack to Yoh too!What we were going to do?We already had lost Horo Horo!_

_No one - especially Anna__ - wanted to lose him we all knew that, if we didn't -couldn't- move, Hao would kill all of with his own twin brother._

_"GUYS!NOW!" he screamed again._

_"You fools!If you really want me dead this much, you'll have it's consequenses!You should have known then again, who can expect it from a bunch of fools?No one I suppose, " Hao teased it!How someone can be this annoying?_

_We knew we had to do it but no one had the heart to do .Even Ren hadn't had the heart to take Yoh's life, even if it's the only way we can stop Hao from taking over._

_Then Anna stepped us was the fact that she had her beans off for the she was actually crying._

_"I know Yoh.I know I have to do this..I-I'm so sorry!SHIKIGAMIS!ATTACK HIM!" she screamed and I had to close my I didn't want to see one more of my friends got one with Horo Horo was already enough to drive me up to wall._

_When it ended I looked__ up to see two bodies on the not what I wanted to bodies were Anna's and Yoh' of them were Hao was nowhere to be found.A month after it, Hao had taken over the world.._

_End of Flashback..._

"So w-when I saw you there, with that guy, I-I just couldn't stand by and look away with not doing _anything_!"

Horo was beyond was really how long exactly had it been?

"Chocolove?"

"Yeah?"

"How long it's been since I'm...g-gone?" Horo Horo's voice shook when he'd said the word 'gone'.Chocolove looked at him with a tired face.

"It's been 30 years Horo Horo!"

_"SAY WHAT!" _the young blue head screamed in horror."And w-where are all the people?"

"You mean Shamans?Cause there's no more human in the world least not in here at outside world." He said to Horo's eyes widened.

"WHAT!And why?Why don't you stand up for yourselves?Where are your spirits!Where are your fighting fires!" he panted as he finished his words.

He was angry at Hao, angry at his friends for not standing up against him, angry at that fight for sending him here.

Chocolove took a deep breathe again and started to tell."Horo Horo...When you didn't come back..Well, everything.. Just fell apart dude.I guess we really needed that carefree, funny attitude of and Ryu took a big fight after Yoh and Anna's haven't seen each other since Hao took over the world."

"Alright then!Chocolove!Bring me to where you stay at!And call both of them!I'm gonna make it clear!"

"Okay Horo Horo.I'll call Tamao and she'll do it for Horo?" Chocolove asked.

"Yeah?"

"Good to have you back my friend.."

Horo Horo just they went into a cringed at the smell but it wasn't something he could think about now.

He just could think about what Chocolove had told him._"Pirika..Yoh..Anna.."_ he thought with closed them, a lone tear rolled down.

Chocolove looked back to only see him crying didn't say anything thought he knew why he was crying.

Then they came to his hideout was a table and some wasn't even a television!

But fortunately, there was a small phone on the there was his guardian spirit, Mic the Jaguar.

"Hey there 's up?" said Horo but very, very wasn't easy for , everyone he had cared about was either dead or not united.

He sighed._"What am I gonna do now?I don't even have only Yoh was here, by my side, telling that things would come out good, it would be a hell lot of easier."_ he thought in slight was then, Chocolove came back to the room.

"Well?"

"Tamao said she would take care of 're going to meet them tomorrow at Tamao' Horo Horo."

"Yes?"

"I've got to give something to three things with me."

The both of them stood up at the same Horo followed his worn-out friend until they stopped and Chocolove eventually opened another hideout to Horo's surprise and called out.

"Hey little out!There's someone you should see."

Horo Horo gasped as soon as he saw who was coming out of the was none other than Kororo herself!

"KORORO!"

Horo Horo ran to his little seemed like Kororo was very delighted to see her Shaman's face after all these then, Chocolove reached to the hideout to grab a letter from it.

Horo Horo stopped in his tracks as his friend came and gave him the envelope that was closed for opened it with such a passion to find that, in there, there was a little piece of just hadn't have the courage to read it.

"Come it..."

"I.." he trailed off and got the paper with trembling he looked at it, Horo was just like a person who was drenched with 5 tons of boiled was a letter from Yoh.

_"Dear Horo Horo__,_

_I know you're out there is why, I'm writing this to all missed you since you got lost, none of us - yes,even Ren - can't stop thinking about 's been a whole year and we still didn't find any trace.*sigh* I really hope you're okay._

_Hao's still trying to take over the Great 're fighting off but I really don't know how much longer we can do were a team and without you..it's just not the same know what, today we went to fight again._

_I__t was horrible this time!Hao..he killed all the X-Laws except for Lyserg because Ryu went to save him just in time.I think he's in a coma or doesn't wake he's moaning don't know what's wrong with him._

_Morphine is very sad and worried about her all __are of all, I think Hao has something up his !I almost has gotten permanently paralysed because of them!_

_I didn't know I would say that to anyone but, I HATE THEM!They made us -you!- suffer!Because of them, you're not here by my side, saying a good food would be __nice after the fight!I-I missed you too much to bear where ever you are, I hope you're happy.I hope you're like our lives now._

_But I promise to you:I won't stop fighting!I also W__ILL NOT stop searching for you!Like I said; you're out there somewhere!And I won't - can't - stop till I find you and bring you back to us!I should go 's calling for know how she gets if I don't obey(T.T)._

_Sincerely, Yoh Asakura"_

By the time he finished reading the small letter, tears were streaming down from Horo's sobs escaped from his lips as he started to cry completely.

Chocolove just waited by his side as calmly as he could manage and embraced him with his only arm.

"I-I can't believe that!Yoh!This is a nightmare!" He night Horo Horo didn't couldn' was just too much tenseness in him to relax and sleep finely.

He thought about Yoh's letter and once again felt tears threatening to come instead of crying, he made a avenge kill Hao for once and all.

The next day Chocolove woke up around the time of dawn and found Horo looking at the sky with a determined look on his face.

"Hey."

"Morning."

After this half-hearted conversation, they got up and got prepared to see Tamao and the others.

They walked silently between the unrecognisable Chocolove stopped in front of one of looked at the Ainu boy who was seemed very determined and strange.

They went in silently and when Horo Horo saw Tamao, he shy, quiet and beautiful girl was gone now and in her place, there was a completely different person.

Her cute pink hair was cut in a boy size and she seemed very before anyone could say something, they heard a _"thump"_ and Chocolove nodded.

"That should be Ren." He said with a silent Horo Horo nodded too and went to the noise's source with such a little confidence in if it wouldn't work out well?

"No time to think like this Horo like Yoh!" He scolded himself.

Then he saw the guy he wanted, Ren. "Now there's one more person to come to the on Ryu, " He muttered to , Ren hadn't heard Ryu came in. "Who's there?" Horo Horo heard Ren ask. "What?Can't he see it's Ryu?" He thought, confused.

"Ren!"

"Ryu?" both said menacingly and both pulled before they could fight, something made them both fall Horo Horo.

Then he gasped in horror at Ryu and Ren's was BLIND!And Ryu's one eye was blind too!Then Ryu saw him and gasped, "N-no way, " he took a step back.

"What?You're running again, aren't you, Ryu?Like how you ran back then!" Ren said angrily. "Cut it off Ren!" said someone was not who he was expecting.

"H-Horo Horo?" Ryu asked unbelievingly.

"Yeah!I'm here and don't ask how cause I don't know and to be honest don't give a damn now!" He said, really angry. "H-Horo Horo we-we're so sorry!We lost Pirica and-" started Ryu but Horo Horo cut him off. "I-I know anyway.I've gotta talk to you guys, " he said with a tone that told non-nonsense.

_1 Hour Later..._

"You mean, we still can do it?Horo Horo that's impossible!The only humans that still alive are in this hideout!But we can't fight out with him!He's just too strong and - " Chocolove started but Horo Horo cut him off.

"No!It's NOT impossible!What the hell has happened to your fighting wills?Is it just amongst yourselves now?Think of Yoh!Would he want you to be like this?What are you doing is what _HAO_ wants!Now tell me, who wants to not doing what Hao wants and avenge our friends?" He asked angrily.

He was way frustrated by the appearance of his friends', their fighting and the whole Hao was no way that would he step back and let Hao to do this to his friends and to the whole world.

He just could looked all among his friends but unfortunately, there was no reply from anyone.

Then Ren stood up for this. "Okay 'll do tell me that there's still hope!" He said with a I-want-to-believe Horo nodded but then remembered Ren was blind now.

"Of course there is is always a hope if you wanna find it." Horo Horo said but he didn't fully believe what he'd just said though.

What if he was wrong?What if there was not any hope in this place anymore?Suddenly, he felt really homesick.

He didn't belong to this time!Not at all!But he knew, it was the time for him to take the responsibility and go his night, they didn't sleep much and discussed the break in plans to Hao's Palace.

_In the morning..._

The gang –or what was left of them- woke up and started to get ready for the final atmosphere was very tense and everyone was ready to explode at eachother.But they all knew that, exploding wouldn't do any good for them.

Only after half an hour, they were ready to went with an armoured van –Horo couldn't dare to ask where did they found it- and broke down through the Palace's doors.

"That's what I call a good entrance!" Ryu said without much the first blows did what they'd talked over the last dodge, then attack like there's no it worked least, Horo Horo thought it was, until Chocolove screamed.

"Horo Ho-ARGGGGGHH!" He could only watch helplessly as Chocolove went down bleeding by Peyote and though Horo ran to him as fast as he could, he still couldn't make it fast still died. "NOOOO!" Horo Horo screamed.

Then he heard a scream of pain and a "NO!REN!" from Ryu, then another scream and when he turned around, he saw Ren and Ryu were both dead by Opacho's hands who was now a grown up, young, beautiful woman.

Then Horo Horo saw red and thought of attacking her but Tamao was faster than him.With a giant blast of pink furyoku, Opacho was on the ground, dead.

"That's what you get for killing my friends you bitch!" She said emotions whirling inside but not showing at , there was a great rage.

Then one person came in the one who they came one Horo Horo wanted to bash his head Asakura had come to the place.

Both Tamao and Horo Horo looked at him with disgust and hatred.Then Horo Horo and Hao started to fight.

Not even trying to control his anger, Horo Horo charged right at blocked and attacked too but the northern boy was too angry to even feel his injuries.

He just attacked him and didn't stop even when he was long only could stop when Tamao put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's over Horo Horo...It's over now." She told him with upset Horo stared at her then the bodies of his friends.

Then he felt a dizziness coming over his very soul was pulling through was when, he heard Tamao gasp with shock.

"Horo Horo!You're fading!"

"What?" He looked down.

And sure enough, he he looked at the pink haired woman in front of him and sobbed out, "I'm so sorry, " She looked at him, obviously surprised and very upset. "Why?You didn't do it!You are the only reason we have freedom now!Be safe..." She said as he faded away completely.

When he did, she whispered at the spot where he'd been, "Thank you." She turned around with a sigh and went back to the hideout to tell the last humans the high prized victory.

"Yoh!" A young brown haired boy looked up from where he was laying afro haired black guy came up to him he stopped when he saw the thoughtful and worried look on his face.

"What's wrong?" "Nothing Chocolove.I was just thinking about Horo do you think he is?It's been a month!" he asked to the other brightened tilted his head in confusion. "Eh?"

"Tamao told us she's found something on her kokkuri board!If she's right, this is Horo Horo's furyoku!"

"WHAT!" Yoh had immediately bolted right to his grinned brightly again but stopped strangely.

"But, how do we bring him back here?" He asked with worry.

"Easy, you guys will focus all of your furyoku to his furyoku and concentrate on bringing him here." Said Anna's voice from behind turned to see her and sure enough, she was there with her usual emotionless face.

"Then what the hell are we waiting for?Let's go!" Yoh said. "Alright!" Chocolove said and they both started to run in the direction of the couldn't help but smile a little.

'They might be a bunch of weirdos with blockheads, but they really care for eachother.' She thought while walking fastly to the found the others were standing around an in-trance Tamao.

Then the pink haired girl snapped out of it and found everyone staring at her with nervous glances.

"Well?" Ren asked impatient and hadn't thought he would think this but, he'd missed Horo Horo.

Missed him so was just not the same without that idiot around there. "I-it's really h-him Ren-kun." Tamao immediately brightened again.

"Then what are we waiting for?Let's get him back!NOW!" Ren exclaimed.

"I didn't think I would say this but I agree with Ren there!C'mon guys!" said Chocolove, grinning.

"Let's do it everyone." Yoh said and everyone –even Anna- readied their Oversouls.

Anna prayed with her beans for Horo Horo's spirit to come while the others concentrated on getting his body to there.

Then there was a flicker and a new aura –Horo Horo's aura- came into the it, his soul came and then, it slipped into the body.

But right then, young blunette boy collapsed to the body had too much damage that they almost couldn't recognize it.

"Oh my God!Horo Horo!What happened to you?" Chocolove shouted with worry and shock while he made his way to him with the others.

"ONII-CHAN!" Pirica screamed seeing this.

Then Faust went to inspect the injured blunette and said, "Hmm..."

"What happened to my Onii-chan?" Pirica asked, almost in hysterics. "It seems that he has fought with someone that really stronger than him and stressed his body too much that it has come to a limit." Faust lied, frowning.

In reality, Horo Horo was on the verge of had burns all over him and maybe even an internal bleeding. "What the hell are we gonna do then?" Ryu asked to Faust.

"We have to let him rest.I'll give him some anaesthetic to do something for the burns." Faust nodded soberly but solemnly.

Pirica was helped her to go to living room with them while she was was trying to make her better while they disappeared through the door.

"He'll be alright 's just a little tired that's all!He's Horo Horo after all, he would pull through anything!" He was saying, but it was like, as if he was trying to convince himself too.

Then Faust turned back to the patient that was his Elisa appeared beside him and when she saw Horo Horo's situation, she gasped.

"Oh Johann!It's horrible!" She said.

"I 've got to save him my you help?"

"Of cou does he have now?"

"He has stressed his body too much and seeing these burns and wounds, it seems he's really endangered fact, he's in the verge of death and may even have an internal bleeding." Faust of the door, Chocolove gasped with shock and disbelief.

He'd just couldn't help but listen what had happened to his hadn't expected got away from there, running.

Not even thinking of being seen by the went outside of the least, no one had followed could cry there...

_2 Hours Later..._

Chocolove went into the inn to see everyone were in Horo's ran to there and saw that Faust was telling them something.

"About time were you?" asked Ren, didn't answer as he went past him and sat by Pirica.

Then Faust told him too, Horo Horo's this time, he knew, he had to say the real 's eyes widened as they heard the northern ice shaman had an internal bleeding.

But Faust reassured them about it with saying he and Elisa had been successful of stopping it before it would be too much and killed him.

Ren breathed a relieved sigh.He hadn't expected Horo Horo to come like had been like a wreck when he'd first came back to he had been through he had question was, what had happened to him?

Yoh still was had told them, he still was in a hard every thought was interrupted by a whisper from the Horo was trashing around!

Everybody ran to him while Faust tried to keep him still, for his stitches could come least for five minutes, he continued to trash around under his friends and sister's confused and worried stares.

They were almost hopeful that he would wake up and tell them what had happened to him.But he didn' Faust told them somebody had to stay with him for preventing him from trashing around and Ren were the first ones to volunteer and they fought for it.

"I WILL STAY WITH HIM, " Chocolove screamed to Ren's face. "He DOES NOT need you, who were NOT even trying to find any trace of him!"

"WHAT!I WENT TO CHINA, TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING!" Ren screamed back.

The fight was getting more and more furious now. "Now, I don't think Horo needs a fight right now." Yoh tried to ease the situation.

"STAY OUT OF THIS!" both fighters yelled.

"Why don't you both stay with him?" Ryu offered.They didn't even a little while, minus Manta and Faust, they were at outside of the and Ren's Oversouls were ready and so, they started a Shaman Fight to determine who's worthy enough to stay by Horo Horo's side.

"Guys, this is stupid!Onii-chan would want both of you by his side!Stop it!" Pirica exclaimed but her voice remained unanswered from the clashing of the weapons and angry growls of the fighting boys.

In the end, surprisingly, Chocolove came as the he went to stay by Horo's side with a sigh.As for Ren, he growled in frustration and sat abruptly at the floor.

The only reason he'd lost, his mind was in somewhere else and he was in hesitation.

What if Horo Horo couldn't pull through this?It was in his mind, even though he was trying not to think like that, there was a big doubt in his mind about it.

After a while, Chocolove got out of the room and went straight at was concerned about him too.

" you okay?" he asked to the Chinese boy who had his head hung down.

"I-I think , why are you here?Horo Horo could wake up or trash around!" Ren said but Chocolove stopped him quickly.

"I think he's fine enough for me to talk to , what's the problem?Does it have to do something with me winning or something?" He asked, concerned.

"N-no,it's just- " Ren sighed. "It's just what?Dude, if I'm to help you I've gotta know the problem." Chocolove said. "It's just, what if H-Horo Horo can't pull this through?I-I don't know what will we do without him.." He said, worried.

"What!He wont die Ren!We can not believe in this!We have to hope.'Sides, this is Horo Horo we're talking about!He can pull through anything!" He told him, shocked Ren would think such a thing.

But even Chocolove himself, had a little he shoved those thoughts away and went back to Horo's side.

_Three Days Later__..._

Horo Horo groaned quietly and slowly, opened his took a while but he eventually could focus on his thought about what happened for a moment and then, it hit him with full force.

The fight, the future, his friends, the last fight with Hao and deaths of the others!A little sob escaped from him as he started to cry but then, a black hand came to him to prevent him from turning around.

He was frightened but then, the owner of arm somehow had understood he was awake and had exclaimed.

"Horo Horo!You're awake!" But wasn't it Chocolove's voice?He was sure he'd died he remembered something else, fading away.

He looked beside of the bedside he was laying and saw that, Chocolove was right beside him and both his arms and the joyful shine in his eyes were back in the he seemed a little tired, he seemed really happy.

But he couldn't face what he's done, not now, not ever.Then to his relief, Chocolove went thought about what happened again and cried silently.

Then he felt every bone in his body was didn't even care about should he?He was better off dead an idea came to him and he crawled to the door and locked it went back to was the others came but the door was like a wall that could not be broken.

_End Of Flashback..._

While Horo Horo was thinking this, meanwhile in the living room, everyone was anxious for would possibly have had happened to him to make him like this?Then the door bell went off.

They looked at each other then at Yoh. "Okay, alright!I'm geting it." He said smiling, but it wasn't his usual, cheerful he went to get it and when he opened it, he saw two people he thought he would never see there:Lyserg and Meene from X-LAWS.

"Hello Yoh." Lyserg greeted his surprised friend anxiously.

"Umm..Hi don't you two come in?" He asked and made his way with them to the living room back.

When the others saw who came, a big commotion broke in the room. "What the hell!What the hell are you doing here?"

"We are here because just Lyserg wanted to know what happened to your friend." Meene said. "We came here without Marco-san's knowledge and we mean no harm."

Ren didn't seem convinced but Yoh beat him to say anything. "Well, we've found him." He said. "What?How is he, Yoh-kun?" Lyserg asked with curiousity.

"That's where it's was all injured when we could get him and now, he's locked himself in his room and doesn't talk to anyone.

"We don't know what happened but whatever it is, it really wounded him big time there." Ren told gasped in a "_thump,bang! _" was heard from Horo Horo's room and they had understood that he had fallen to the ground from his nightmare again.

That was when, Chocolove couldn't take this stood up and went right to Horo Horo's door and Faust, understanding just what was going to happen, went with him for support him even though it wasn't that much good what was the afro boy thinking.

"Horo Horo!Open the door right now!" he bellowed but again, he was rejected by the Ainu boy.

'No!Not him!Not Chocolove...I-I can't face him now!If not ever!' he was thinking with he heard Chocolove sigh behind the door and then heard that he was merging Mic to break the door down!

"NO!" he yelled but it was too black boy had already made a Shaft attack and brought the door down right then and looked worriedly at Horo Horo who was shocked to see this.

"C-Ch-Choco-love?" he stuttered looking dumbstruck.

"Horo Horo we really need to talk." He told him with serious gaze.

It reminded too much of his counterpart in the future that Horo wanted to he didn't.Then Faust and Ren came into the room to see if he was was now very skinny from all the starvation and crying.

Then Chocolove came by his side and put a hand to his try and make him feel alright for him.

When he looked at his friend's face, he saw the worried look on was as friendly as he always had Horo Horo heard Faust telling Ren to bring something for him to saw Ren nodding fastly and running to the direction of the kitchen.

Then Chocolove spoke up again. "Look at me Horo ."

He didn't have the courage to look up but if he had, he would have seen Chocolove's intense worry for went on for a while and Chocolove just couldn't take it anymore.

He slapped Horo Horo across the made him look at him with when he looked up, he saw that the boy in front of him had tears in his eyes.

"Chocolove?W-why are you- "

"Crying?Look Horo.I just want to help all want you're making this all too hard for spill out dude!It hurts us to see you like this!Isn't it, Faust?" He asked to the Necromancer who was examining Horo Horo for the injuries he had on his body.

The blond shaman nodded at Horo Horo seriously.

Then Lyserg and Meene came there with unsure, slow when they saw the Ainu boy, both gave surprised gasps.

That was when the azure haired shaman finally looked up at the door's was surprised to see Lyserg and Meene but what was surprised him the most, Ren was trying to bring a soup in there.

But because of inexperience, he almost fell and poured the soup to the this, Meene tried not to snort at the Great Tao Ren.

Then she gently took the soup bottle and went right to Horo Horo's seeing this much of caring attitude –even from a X-LAWS member- Horo Horo couldn't help but realise, his friends were really caring about him and he was worrying them.

Then a voice pulled him from his train of thoughts. "ONII-CHAN!Oh finally you've opened the- Oh.." He heard Chocolove chuckle sheepishly at his sister.

"More like I broke the door." He said sheepishly but she didn't even went right beside her brother's side and smiled his first smile in a long while.

Then Pirica saw Meene had a soup bottle and she got it not so gently from she started to spoon feed her Horo flushed very bright was already smirking but he saw something else in his eyes, which confused him to no he was relieved?

Then Anna came into the all looked at her with the expection of kicking the X-LAWS out of instead, she just went to Horo Horo's side and whispered to his ear.

"We've got to talk." Horo could only nod with she would want to talk about to him, was beyond him.

Meanwhile, Meene was asking Lyserg who Anna really was in the group. "Umm...Yoh-kun couldn't tell me much but I know this she is his fiancée." Lyserg answered her half-heartedly.

Meene's eyes the time the two X-LAWS for go quickly bid their goodbyes and "Get better." for Horo Horo and they were gone.

_2 Hours Later..._

Horo Horo sat in the living room across all the for Chocolove who had gotten a little or no sleep for the past week.

When Horo had heard its reason, he felt a pang of guilt and what the hell had he done to deserve such smiled to himself again.

Then Yoh spoke up softly to him. "Horo Horo?Can you tell us what happened?" He asked to him his voice is was almost as if he'd feared that he would say something wrong to him.

Horo looked at the was so hard to tell if they hated him afterwards?He couldn't tell he found a way out. "Umm...I-I'll tell you later...By the way, what happened while I was gone?"

"Not much.But- " Yoh started but soon he was stopped by Ren's horo inched an eyebrow at could have possibly happened to make Ren glare at Yoh like that?

"What happened?" He asked confused and still a little Anna blurted it out for him. "He and Chocolove fought."

"WHAT?Why the hell?" Then Horo Horo noticed Ren was shaking his head frantically as if he didn't want him to know the reason.

"Well, Ren, this has to be known by him." Yoh said smiling at both him and Horo.

"Ren, what happened?" Horo Horo asked, though a little nervous for what to come.Then Anna saved him from being in the dark again.

"They fought about who was going to be staying with you while you were out cold." She said casually, as if it was nothing.

But Horo Horo's eyes widened with shock as he turned to Ren.Right then, Chocolove came into the room, stretching with a he noticed the whole room was stiff.

"What's wrong?" He asked confused by the glance Horo Horo was giving to Ren and him. "Anna told him about the fight." Yoh grinned at Chocolove who had a shocked he turned back to Horo Horo.

Horo Horo's face was soft and confused. "Why did you do that?" He asked softly with a hint of wonder in his Ren nor Chocolove had an answer to that.

"Guys?Could one of you answer me?"

"Well, at that time..." Chocolove began but trailed off, seeing his answer would not satisfy his blue haired friend.

"Yes?"

Then Ren blurted it out in the wrong time. "W-we were trying to find out who was worthy enough t-to stay, " He said, stuttering while Chocolove looked at him menacingly.

Meanwhile, Horo Horo's eyes widened more and more in each word was spoken.

"G-guys...You shouldn't have done of you could have stayed with me.I-I don't think any of you worthier than the other!" He said, awestruck.

Who would have thought they would do such things for him?Then he remembered what happened and hoped that he didn't grow too serious to reveal something.

That was when, Chocolove came to sit by then they asked what had happened to him while he was away didn't want to , not at then, they all began to push and press the matter.

After a while, he just spilled it he finished his story, the table was all quiet with shock.Horo Horo hung his head in for them to kick him out.

But instead, he suddenly found himself in a group Ren was there, hugging and trying to comfort his sad friend.

"G-guys?" Horo Horo's voice rang. "Wh-what are you- "

"You've been through too much Horo it's not your didn't want it!" Yoh said, looking dead serious in his eyes.

"Yea, " Chocolove joined him too. "We know, you did everything you could and it was not even your own we know you're a loyal friend to us." He said smiling warmly at the azure haired boy.

Ren nodded, sure of Horo couldn't help but be in complete hadn't abandon him!They even fought for him!Why?

"W-why?" he asked them before he could stop just smiled.

"Because you're our 's why Horo Horo." It was surprisingly from Ren.

"We would never hate you Horo for something that is not your fault." Yoh added, quickly joining in the chuckled along with the others, seeing Horo Horo was trying to hide his yawn.

"Well, I guess someone needs his rest." Chocolove announced happily, standing up and practically dragging Horo Horo with him despite all of his protests about wanting to stay close to them.

"You'll come back as soon as you have your energy back.'Sides, we're already 't we guys?" he asked turning to the all gave reassuring nods and some "Yeah"s to Horo smiled too.

When Chocolove put him in his bed, Horo Horo smiled, knowing tonight he would have no nightmares.

_3 Weeks Later..._

Horo Horo grinned and sent more fresh icicles at Ren, who countered it with his _Chuuka Zanmai_.But still, it was too late and Ren was sent through the training ground.

"That was only luck Horo!" He said with a smirk.

"No way!That hit you fair and square and you know it!There was no luck in this!"

Three weeks had passed from Horo Horo's bad misadventure at the though he still had some hardships about the matter, fortunately, he'd grown his old self back within two weeks.

Just then, he and Ren had been sparring with their one-medium Horo Horo knew he fought with his almost fullest, he had a cunning feeling that Ren also hadn't fought with his fullest, just to let him shook his head, trying to clear away this thought.

In truth, Ren had held back a still was wary of the matter and thought it was neccesary that his blue haired friend should , he still caught sight of Horo Horo's face when he saw a reminder, even if it was the slightest, and thought it would cheer him up suddenly, azure headed boy turned to him with a smile.

"Aren't you coming, Ren?We're going to eat now!And it's Tamao's making!" he cheered as he and Chocolove raced to the kitchen where a delicious smell already was steaming off smiled a small smile.

'_Whatever happens, we will always be a team, and I'll personally make sure that Horo Horo will stay all the same stupid, ice-cube brain.'_


End file.
